Immortalis Peregrinus
by kisebby
Summary: The interference of Ciel Phantomhive's "Stress" to a unique case led him to opening the past he thought he closed long ago and eventually showed everyone who and what his demon butler was before he became Sebastian Michaelis.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ _Hello, sweeties! This is my first FanFiction story. Like ever. I was inspired by some artists out there, so I decided to give this weird story going on in my mind for a while now a time to be written /coughs/ I mean to be typed._

* * *

**Chapter One**

Ciel Phantomhive cannot do anything properly ever since he came back from his trip in Paris. Everyone had noticed that he was always afloat, and never focused on what he's doing. He sat on his chair right now, with his chin landed on his palm and his elbow on his desk, and absent-mindedly staring and listening to what his butler is trying to teach him. His eyes fluttered, he rarely had any sleep last night, or any other night since the trip. He was too bothered about _it_, and he doesn't think he's ever getting back to normal without having a glimpse to that event he never had a chance to take a glimpse in.

"-alright?" Ciel suddenly remembered where he's in, and saw Sebastian waving his palm in front of his eyes. "Milord, are you alright?" He asked again and Ciel was still quite out of himself to answer. Well, he felt stupid.

"I-I, am well, uh..." He stuttered, scrambling to maintain his composure and focus, though the butler had realized that his master is _really_ currently occupied.

"Master, you've been too afloat since our trip from Paris. Did something happen there that you refuse to tell me about?" He asked, and decided to stop what he's teaching first, and served his master a cup of tea to give him a breather. He has to knock his stick on his master's desk first to wake him up from daydreaming once again. "Milord, can you tell me what _exactly_ happened? If Lady Elizabeth finds out about your state right now, she will be terribly worried." He said and Ciel sighed in exhaustion.

The boy bit his lip first and clutched his pants tightly, quite reluctant to speak. But he realized that if he doesn't ask the professional, which is Sebastian, here, he will never know what he wants to know. "Well, er," He started awkwardly, and looked at everything except his butler's eyes. "Uh, you're... a demon," He asked, glanced at him a bit, and looked away again. "...right?" He asked and waited.

The butler raised a brow on him before answering, "Yes, milord. Is something the matter regarding that fact?" His master never opens the topic about his butler being a demon unless the situation needs it.

It took Ciel another minute before giving his anwer and scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "I, er," He started, closed his eyes for a few seconds, holding his breath and then sighed loudly and opened his eyes. He buried his face in his hands and groaned. "Never mind, Sebastian. Never mind. It was nothing." He finished.

Sebastian frowned. "Well, master, if you finally realize that you have to speak about it later, I will be waiting." He said, and started wrapping up. "I will be stopping the studies here. Let's call it a day for you, milord. You really are not fit to do anything today." He commented, and then turned to the cart. "I will be dismissing myself now, master." And looked at Ciel for a moment, and saw his master getting all engulfed by whatever it was he was thinking about once again. The butler left.

* * *

Ciel was walking on his mansion's halls when he heard his servants talking about a certain topic. He stopped walking, and hid as he listened.

_"I heard that what happened was very new to everyone."_ He heard Finnian whisper. It was a whisper, but Ciel heard it.

_"It seems like _they_ were thrown to Scotland Yard's hands."_ Bard added. Ciel decided to take a peek at them, and saw Finnian, Bard and Mey-rin talking to each other. Tanaka was sitting by the corner while drinking tea.

_"I heard that the woman is in a bad state. It seems like the Yard was too harsh on her."_ Mey-rin said, and the two men shook their heads. "Don't you think that it is quite unfair for the woman?" She asked, and her companions nodded. Ciel is starting to wonder what is happening outside his mansion, and what is this about _unfair_, _woman_ and _very new to everyone_ things. Instead of asking the three, he just turned around and quietly walked back to his room. Don't get the young earl wrong, he still hasn't gotten over what happened in Paris. Yes, it all started during _that_ dream, but it didn't end there. He sighed upon remembering and sat on his chair. He clenched his hand on his desk, not because of anger or sadness, but because of frustration. He terribly wanted to see things again. Maybe if he travel back to Paris he might, but his people would just get more and more confused. And Ciel doesn't think he'll talk about it soon. Perhaps he'll give it some time. Not for them, but for him. If talks about it, he'll only get curious himself. Not only curious, but obsessed as well.

"Afloat again, master?" Sebastian asked, and Ciel almost jumped from his seat. He never knew when his butler came in, and he was already serving him his afternoon tea. "You were crying on your sleep that night." He opened, and all of Ciel's blood rose to his face. "I wonder why." And smirked.

"W-What are you saying, Sebastian, I don't remember crying that night." Ciel said, obviously embarrassed.

"I wonder about that, too." The butler replied and landed a plate of biscuits in front of his master. He also handed him a roll of the day's newspaper. "You might find the headline interesting, master. Give it a look." He added and looked at Ciel as the boy took and read the paper. He watched as his master's expression changed.

"The son of the Duke of Thompson ran away with a girl from the orphanage?" Ciel asked in disbelief. _This is indeed new, isn't it. _He read the rest of the article. "So they were caught, huh." He said and then turned to the next page. He read it and said, "And they were able to broke out?!" He then slammed the newspaper on the desk and looked at Sebastian. "What is _this_, Sebastian?" He asked, obviously confused and surprised.

"A reenactment of a fairytale story, perhaps, milord?" He asked and smiled at Ciel. "Or…"

"_Or?_"

"Or it could be because a certain someone helped them break out."

Ciel raised a brow. "How in the world would that happen?" He asked with a frown. "And who would be so courageous as to stand up against the guards and _help _those two love birds get the freedom they are wishing for?" He asked and when his butler just gave him an amused smile, the earl gave up and sank back to his seat while staring at the news article. "Who the hell would be so brave _and _stupid as to help those two break out?" He asked weakly and irritably.

"Why are you so bothered about it, anyway, master?" Sebastian asked and stood straight in front of Ciel with the white towel hanging on his arm. "Is it because of the stress you were still having a hard time going through?" He added and his master just sighed – in exhaustion perhaps.

Yes, it was because of the Stress. Not the stress, but _the _Stress. It's pressuring and pushing him to his limits and his patience. And that Stress would be no other than the woman in his dreams. He is very, _very _eager to find out who in the world was that woman and why does it bother him so much. He just kept thinking about her ever since that night. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He has to throw the problems and the Stress away first. "Sebastian." He called and the butler looked at him. "Investigate this crime and try to trace where and how did the duke's son and that girl got away."

"Are you not coming to see for yourself, milord?" Sebastian asked before departing.

Ciel shook his head and sighed again. "I refuse to leave my office and my mansion today. It is for the better, I can say. I am, after all, not in the most energetic moods right now." He answered and sipped his tea and then took a small piece of the biscuits given to him. He chewed weakly, still staring at the news article, though it is quite obvious that his attention was not in it.

"So _you _admit it, after all, milord." Sebastian said and his master looked at him in surprise first, then on embarrassment but even before Ciel could protest, Sebastian left his room, gently closing the door behind him, leaving the boy alone.

* * *

"And where is your _little_, master?" Arthur Randall coldly greeted Sebastian upon seeing him walk in the premises of Scotland Yard. The old man raised a brow on the butler, but Sebastian paid no heed to him at first, but looked around the place, as if looking for something.

He then looked at Mr. Randall. "Good day, sir, I was ordered by my master to look further to the case regarding the runaway of Philip, son of the Duke of Thompson and Eliseia di Porta."

"So, the _watchdog_ is in again?" Randall asked and scowled as he decided to get back inside the building, but the butler followed him.

"He is _always _in, sir." Sebastian said and smiled at him.

Randall never liked dealing with this man. He's too perfect, he can say. _Too _perfect to be human. "And where is he right now?"

"My master is not in a healthy state right now, so he sent me for the investigation instead."

"Whether or not he's fine, you just keep on tailing, anyway." He said as they finally reached the entrance of the building. Randall dared not look back to the man behind him as he continued to walk on the corridor. "If you want to see the jail, just turn left and you will see the stairs, walk downstairs. You should find the cells by then. Turn right, and the last one is the one you need." He informed and Sebastian looked rather surprised. Randall never lets him or Ciel poke their noses in the Yard's businesses (but the two always find a way to get away from him, anyway), but he seems kind of lazy right now and gave the information to Sebastian without the butler dropping a sweat for it.

"Of course. Thank you, sir." Sebastian said as he watched the man make his way towards the library, leaving the demon all alone.

Sebastian wasted no second and followed Randall's instructions. When he managed to get down, the place is rather gloomy, and it's awfully quiet with those prisoners. He turned right, and the first cell has a man who was just sitting on his bed, looking at the space. The next one was a thin man and upon seeing Sebastian, he just jumped to him, but the bars stopped him from being successful and exclaimed, "Please! It was not me, I swear! Let me out now!" Sebastian raised a brow on him, but went on anyway. The people are weird that it made him feel like he was visiting a mental hospital and not a prison.

Upon reaching the last cell, he saw its door open, with no guards or anyone. He approached it and realized that he was wrong. His eyes narrowed upon seeing a person sitting by the bed. It was a woman and she wasn't that woman who looks all girly of that time. In fact, her back is slouched and her legs aren't touching each other. She isn't wearing a fancy dress. She's wearing a cream-colored trench coat that reaches down to the top of her knees, and she's wearing black pants tucked inside brown leather boots. Her blond hair is tied on a neat bun.

Upon seeing the demon, her sapphire blue eyes shone in the darkness but then she just came back to staring at the empty wall. She isn't afloat, she seemed to be in a deep thinking.

Sebastian smirked. "So it was you who let them out, huh." He said as he went inside the cell. "You have quite the courage to do that. For a woman, especially."

"Thank you." She simply answered with such a gentle and calming voice, but the demon butler felt the intensity in it.

"You helped prisoners break out."

"They deserved it."

"How do they deserve it?"

The woman turned her head to him. "They were caught because they attempted to run away. That is that. They broke no rules. The duke simply wanted his son punished for running away with a woman lower than a commoner." She answered and Sebastian simply frowned. "There are more people who deserve to be in this room." She answered and looked back to the wall.

"You seem to be thinking of something."

"It's because I am, always am."

Sebastian leaned his back by the bars and watched the woman with glistening red eyes.

Both are just waiting to see who'll make the first move.

"Thinking about what, if I may ask?"

The woman stood up with a sighed and then looked at him. "Of ways. Of ways to leave this world."

"Why not suicide?"

"Too evil for me to do. God doesn't like his children killing themselves."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "I see." He said and smirked. "How about getting yourself killed?" He asked and the woman smiled at him.

"Not my thing." She said for an excuse. Truth be told, the man's words are too ridiculous for her. She almost wanted to laugh at them. She walked out of the room, and then stopped when she was finally standing behind the butler, with only the bars separating them. "You see, those suggestions never work for me. Sooner or later, those people will just die, whether they're younger or older than I am, and yet I will still be around."

Sebastian turned around. "Then I guess I'll be around to see you by that time." He said and smiled.

She smiled back. She walked off. "Anyway, your little master is rather amusing to watch as he stresses over me." She said and laughed a bit.

"She refers to you as the Stress." He informed.

She laughed.

"You seem too relaxed. For an angel." He commented.

"And you seem too confident. For a demon." She said and turned her head a bit and smiled.

* * *

_**A/N: **__I think it's kinda short haha. But anyway, this is just the first chapter, and I don't know how long this story will be._

_But I hope you like it!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"And why, if I may ask, are you following me, demon?" The woman asked while listening to Sebastian's footsteps behind her heels. She took a glance or two to the man behind her, but he just followed her without even asking where she's going.

"My master is deeply curious about this person who helped the love birds escape." Sebastian answered. He studied the woman's back from head to toe and added, "I thought I will see a human, but it seems like I was wrong." The woman didn't look behind and continued walking.

"Do not talk as if I am a monster." She said as they managed to get out of the Yard. They continued walking, without even knowing where they're both going. "I am unlike _you._" She spat to him, without even feeling angry or irritated. She simply said it, as if it was a fact. Sebastian didn't oppose to it and just smiled.

"Where are you headed to?" He asked, changing the topic as he breathed cold air out. He looked at the dark sky as snow fall down from it. "How many seasons have you been in?" He asked another different topic. It wasn't his intention to know more about the woman, he just keeps on blurting questions. He doesn't even know why he does that.

"I am headed to where your master is in." She answered and Sebastian almost stopped walking. He looked at her with a brow raised and the woman stopped walking too, turned around to face him. "I am willing to reveal that it is indeed _me_, the one who helped dear Stephen and Natalia get out of jail." She admitted with a smile, but she suddenly frowned and said, "But I will only do that to your master and not to _you._"

"You seem angry at me." Sebastian said as he walked again, this time faster than the woman, making him lead the two of them. He looked at the shops they're passing through, and he realized that he may have been in each one. Except for the lingerie shop, Ciel doesn't need lingerie. He turned his head slightly and looked at the woman behind him through the side of his eye. She's rubbing her hands together, even though she's wearing gloves and then put them inside her coat's pockets again. Sebastian stared at her blue eyes. Too deep, he thought. Too deep, not the eye color, or the eyes literally. By deep, he meant that she seems to be looking at something deeper than she's supposed to.

_You seem to be thinking of something._

_It's because I am, always am._

He just looked back to the road and walked with the woman behind.

"I _am _angry at you." She snapped and he didn't seem surprise to hear her answer, probably because he expected it. When the butler glanced at her again, she's staring at the shops, like what he did. "I hope your master isn't as _demonic _as you." She added and looked at him with a mocking smile.

He looked away. "I can never say. You judge my master with your own eyes." He said and frowned as they continued walking on the cold streets. The woman didn't speak again, and neither did Sebastian, so they just walked in silence.

* * *

"It took us forever, seriously." The woman said as she scratched the bridge of her nose while staring exhaustingly at the demon who was about to turn the doorknob and push the door open. "You did not bring a carriage with you." She said, and inserted her hands back to her pockets.

He did not bring any carriage with him. He doesn't need one. He actually never knew he'll come across anyone at all and bring them back to the mansion. He never knew he'll come across an angel. An angel. He rolled his eyes over the thought and opened the door. "Come in." He said, and the woman came in. She looked around the enormous place. "If you are asking where the people are, there are only six here, not enough for such a place." He said and she nodded, not even looking at him. "Follow me."

She followed, still looking around. They went upstairs, and stopped in front of a dark brown door. The butler looked at the woman first, and then knocked at the door. He opened it and said, "Master, I have brought you the person who helped Stephen Reynesford and Natalia Hedervary escape from jail."

The woman glimpsed at the demon's master through the gap and saw a boy with an eye patch stand up from his seat. He seemed surprise. She raised both brows with the _okay _look.

"L-Let her in." The young earl said and sat down again. He never knew that Sebastian was right about that someone helping the two prisoners break out of jail. He closed his eyes and sighed. He heard his butler invite the person in and when Ciel opened his eyes, he almost fainted.

It was the same woman from his dream. He almost fell out of his chair. He stood up and almost lost balance. He accidentally hit his tea cup and its content spilled on his table. His eyes widened and he almost forgot to breathe. He gripped his chair and decided to sit back again. The woman looked at him dumbly.

Sebastian, instead of studying Ciel, studied the woman. He knew she was faking things. She knew what she did. Angels aren't weak. They can enter dreams if they want to. And that's what she did. The question is _why _she did it. Yet, she looked at the child dumbly, and her eyes are so innocent and calm that even Sebastian is almost fooled by them.

The earl sighed and tried to regain his composure. He looked at the woman who is now sitting on the chair provided for her. "I-Is it true? That it was you who let Lord Stephen and that Natalia break out?" He asked and she nodded. "Why? How?" He asked again and she took a deep breath before answering. To be honest, Ciel cannot even listen properly. Every time he looks at the woman in front of him, he feels excited, curious, refreshed, confused and all other emotions. Why? Ciel isn't ready to admit the reason.

"As I have answered to the dem – I mean your butler, Stephen and Natalia do not deserve to be caged. They are only trying to live their dream of being together." She answered very, very calmly and smiled to the earl. Her sapphire blue eyes glistened and Ciel just nodded. "As to how I did it, well, there were no guards around that time, so I took the chance and helped them get out." She said and nodded, as if trying to remember what happened. "They ran away to a place I know not where." She added and Sebastian frowned.

"Are you sure you do not know?" The butler interrupted while looking at the woman.

"_Yes_." She answered quite irritably, turned her look to the demon and took in a very deep breath before getting back to the boy in front of her. "Well, milord, if you want to, I can help you search for them." She added and smiled at him. Ciel looked quite surprised at first, but he nodded at her.

"Please," Ciel said and looked at the newspaper on his desk which is tainted with tea right now. "Your assistance will be of great help. If there is anything that we can do to thank you…"

"Oh, there is one thing that I'd want you to do." She interrupted and smiled at him. She took a glance to the demon first and then to Ciel. She clasped her hands together and said, "Do not tell anyone what my contribution is to this breaking out event."

Both Ciel and Sebastian raised a brow on her. "That is… That is quite surprising but," the earl started as he inhaled, "But I'll be sure we'll get it done. Thank you, Miss…"

"Call me by my name Lorraine." She introduced herself and Ciel nodded again as he scratched his index finger on his desk. "Lorraine Quintin, to be exact." She added and smiled at Ciel again.

_Lorraine Quintin, huh. _The earl thought as he looked at the spot where he scratched his finger on. It has a mark on it, but it wasn't that obvious. _Lorraine. Quintin. _He thought again, as if trying to memorize her name. He looked at her and saw the woman still looking at him with that smile on her face. _She seems… different. _He concluded and looked back on his desk, and then back to her. _Like Sebastian… Like Angela, like Ash. _He added, and the thought of the two angels (or one) sent a chill down his spine. "Tell me, Miss Lorraine, how about you spend the dinner with us?"

Lorraine smiled. "That is such an honor, milord, but I have appointments to do tonight, so I guess I will pass on your invitation." She said and paused. "If that is all we need to talk about, then I…" She said and stood up from her seat. "Need to depart. Thank you, Lord Phantomhive for being such a hospitable man for your guest." She turned to Sebastian. She raised a brow and faked a smile. "And you too." She said and Sebastian faked a smile to her also. She turned back to Ciel. "Once again, I thank you for your kindness. I am sure you will excuse me." She headed towards the door and was about to leave.

"Sebastian," Ciel suddenly said as she watched the woman's back. "See her out."

The butler obeyed and led the woman to the exit. Sebastian made sure he closed Ciel's door. Upon doing so, Lorraine sighed, as if her conversation with the earl took her breath away. She started walking, without even waiting for Sebastian, but he followed anyway, as he was ordered.

"For an angel, you sure know how to lie." The butler said, not even looking at the woman. She didn't look at him, anyway, and just continued walking.

She rolled her eyes. She always wanted to do that. "In what part of what you heard was a lie?"

"When you said that there were no guards during the time you helped those two people escape. That was a lie."

She nodded. "An angel isn't about a woman with wings who never made, makes or will make sins. She's that person who sin less than you _demons _who enjoyed committing so much unforgivable things." She said and sighed. "You even enjoyed being a demon, didn't you?" She asked and adjusted her coat.

Sebastian just made a little chuckle and smirked as he watched her. "Why are you going to assist my master?"

She shrugged. "To make sure they're fine or something." She answered as they finally reached the stairs. "They are such kind humans in the peak of their adolescence." She smiled upon remembering the two escapees, at the same time worrying. She isn't a superhero to know where's who. She's also a human. She's just a human who doesn't die.

"And," Sebastian started as he handed her an umbrella. It was part of his work as a butler and it was not done out of kindness, he thought, and she took it with _thank you. _"What is it that these humans in the peak of their adolescence did to gain your attention and your help?" He asked as he opened the door for her. She glanced outside first, studying the snow.

"Their effort and their love for one another. I can never tell who gave more effort. Stephen was willing to give up what he has just for Natalia, and Natalia was ready to fight whatever is against her for dating a noble." She answered and chuckled. "They were so sweet."

Sebastian frowned at her, obviously not amused with her love talk. "Were they together in one cell?"

"I think they were planning to separate them soon but I came even before they could do that. It made things easier for me." She answered and stepped outside the mansion, but did not leave yet. She opened the umbrella. "Do you still have anything to ask?"

"When are you going to come back?"

"Tomorrow, by the time the sun rises. I also believe that by tomorrow the Queen will send her word regarding this case… to your master, of course." She said and smiled. She held the umbrella's crook handle and landed the metal tube on her shoulder and inserted her free hand inside her coat pocket. "Anything?"

Sebastian has one more question to ask. "Where are you headed to on such a cold night?"

She giggled. "To France."

The butler raised a brow. "To France?"

She nodded.

"Alright . Thank you and good night, Miss Lorraine." He said and closed the door. He checked his pocket watch and it indicated six o'clock in the evening. _Time to prepare dinner._ He thought. He was about to head to the kitchen when he suddenly stopped.

He still has one more question to ask of the angel.

He ran towards the door, opened it and found no one. He looked around. There was no trace of her at all. Well what could he expect, of course, she will be just as fast as him. He exhaled, and was about to close the door when something caught his eye. He looked down to the floor and saw something.

He knelt down on one knee and picked it up. "A white feather, hm?" He asked as he studied it. _So she is, after all, a woman with wings. But makes sins._ He smirked, stood up and went inside the mansion, closing the door behind him.

* * *

It was nine-thirty in the evening, and it was snowing too when she managed to reach Paris. Whether she rode a train or a ship or if she flew, no one will ever know. She stood in front of a very prestigious mansion, perhaps as grand as the Phantomhive's. But unlike that place, she knew that this one is full of people. It has kids in it too, that's why it's a noisy and happy place. She closed the umbrella Sebastian had given her and knocked on the door.

After a few seconds, a maid opened it. "Nice seeing you tonight, Miss Lorraine! Anne and Vincent were worried that you might not come!" She greeted as she invited the woman in. Lorraine went in and handed the umbrella to the maid. "I am sure that they are waiting for you right now, miss." The maid said, put the umbrella beside the door. "Would you like me to take your coat, miss?"

"No, thank you." Lorraine answered. She smiled at the maid first before walking inside the mansion. She headed upstairs immediately. In one room, she heard a couple of kids laughing, and the woman can't help but smile. But she has to visit the head of the house first.

When Lorraine reached an open room, she knocked three times on its door and went in. She saw a man, perhaps in his sixties, writing on some paper works. He looked up upon hearing her come in and he smiled at her. "Miss Quintin." He greeted nicely.

She smiled. "I apologize, monsieur, for my tardiness. I had to finish a few important things in London." She explained and lowered her head a bit. The man smiled at her and landed his pen on his table.

"It's alright, Miss Quintin. Now head to the children. I am sure that they are eager to see you now." He replied and the woman just smiled as she left. When she closed the door, she looked at the room where she heard the children's laughing voices.

The children's voices always soothe her. They just calm her down. While walking towards their rooms, she didn't even remember Stephen and Natalia or Ciel Phantomhive and the demon. She just wanted to see the children right now. She wore her sweetest smile again before knocking on the children's door, and it was opened by another servant. The maid exclaimed, "Kids, Miss Quintin is here!"

The angel went in and was greeted by a pair of bear hugs from the two children. One was a boy and the other was a girl. They both have blond hairs, but the girl's is much darker. The boy's eyes are blue, while the girl's eyes are green. They were around seven or eight. "Miss Quintin! Miss Quintin!" The boy called. "We thought you are not going to arrive!"

"Well I did." She answered as she landed the two kids on the floor. "Now let's go to our lesson tonight, shall we? This should be fast, since you two need to sleep soon." She said and held the kids' hands and walked them straight to a grand piano. They sat on its chair, with Lorraine on the middle. She opened the piano and pressed the _C _note on the right. She looked at the children. "Shall we start?"

The lesson went on for one and a half hour. It was late enough that Lorraine also stood up to be the children's babysitter and sent them to sleep. While humming them a lullaby, she realized someone was standing on the door. She turned around.

"Monsieur." She said and smiled. "Monsieur Theodore, good evening." She greeted and he nodded at her. It was a man with dark blond hair and green eyes. He looks like he was around his twenties or something, and his handsome looks are rather evident. His face is very calm and feminine, too. He has his arms crossed and his body leaned in by the doorway.

"My children seem to be enjoying so much of your company, Miss Quintin. I hope that their enjoyment does not bother you." He said and nodded. "I am deeply sorry if they are too much for you."

She shook her head and approached him. "No, not at all, sir."

And then there was silence, a pause between them before Theodore invited the woman, "Would you come with me? I'd like to show you something." She agreed, of course, and followed the man. He led her outside the mansion, in the dark backyard. It was cold but he held on. They stopped in front of a little bump on the soil in the backyard. "Is this the first time you have been here, Miss Quintin?" He asked quietly as he rubbed his hands together.

"No – I mean, yes, monsieur. This is the first time I am brought here." She answered, and stared at the lump of soil. _An empty grave, I can say._

"This is my late wife's grave, Miss Quintin." Theodore introduced, staring sadly at the ground. "She really loved this place, maybe she even fell in love with this mansion than to me." He said and laughed a bit. Lorraine chuckled too. "I just felt the need of showing you. You have been my children's piano teacher for two years now, and it would be very rude of us to not show you what the children used to be so fond of. It's their mother."

Lorraine smiled weakly and looked at the man beside her. "It would be nice if you can still marry. You are just twenty-five? Twenty-six? You better do it early before the children find it hard to accept. At least now they still don't understand anything." She suggested and then looked back to the ground.

He shook his head and smiled. "I guess I would rather stay like this and focus to my children. My wife isn't easy to replace, after all." He said and laughed. And then there's the silence again. He glanced at her for a second, and then back to the grave. "You really remind me of my wife, Miss Quintin." He confessed and Lorraine just smiled upon hearing it. "She always pressed the _C _note before playing the piano. It was her habit. You also do that, yes?" He asked and looked at her.

She nodded. "I do. I just like its sound, that's why I do it all the time." It was a lie. Lorraine does that to make sure the piano is still fine and safe to use. She felt like pressing one key and if its sound is still normal, then the piano doesn't have any problems. She breathed out and stared at the tombstone.

"She died of loss of blood. It was truly tragic." Theodore informed. The woman listened to his voice standing out in the quiet night, with all the city's noise and businesses blocked by the huge mansion. They're in the backyard, after all. His voice sounded so weak and tired, and Lorraine felt that the man's voice started shaking slightly. Not because of the coldness, but because of the sadness and loneliness. But the woman just stared at the grave and listened as the man fill her in. "It was two years ago, during the time she could have gained her knighthood."

The woman pretended to be surprised about it. "A woman? Knighthood, monsieur?" She asked and he nodded.

"The King decided to make her his knight because, my wife, as much as I do not like to admit it," He said and laughed as he rubbed his nose with his index finger. "Was much manlier than I will ever be. Her father, a very, very bold man exposed to swords and wars, well, did the same to his only child, his daughter. Unlike me, whose parents grew up behind the windows, never got out of the house unless needed and they are exposed to nothing but grand clothes and music sheets. Do not get me wrong, my wife's family is as wealthy as mine but our families just have different natures, that's all."

"She is quite interesting, I can say." Lorraine complimented and sighed once again.

"She is, isn't she?" He asked, flattered to hear a compliment for his late wife. "She is beautiful, too." He added and Lorraine smiled.

"The children showed me a few pictures."

"Her name is Lorraine." Theodore added and the woman's smile saddened. "She is my wife, and her name's Lorraine Mathieu."

The air suddenly blew cold, sending Theodore to wrapping his arms around himself. He looked at the sky. "It seems like the weather is worsening. Shall we get in, Miss Quintin?" He asked and the woman nodded. "Maybe you should stay with us tonight. It will be dangerous to travel by this time and by this weather." He suggested but the woman shook his head.

"I have to go back to London tonight, monsieur." She said and the man was surprised.

"London?" He asked in disbelief. "You will not be able to do so with this weather!" He said as they walked back towards the mansion. He disagrees to her departure, but leads her to the exit anyway. A maid handed Lorraine her umbrella, and the angel adjusted her coat as the maid opened the door for her and she went out.

"Thank you, monsieur. We shall meet by next month." She said and smiled at him. She opened the umbrella and thought that not seeing the children for a month will be hard for her, but she has to focus on the case back in London. It's far more peaceful in Paris, she knew, than in London. Well at least her surroundings in Paris are far more peaceful. She sighed as she looked at Theodore and the maid again and inserted her gloved hand in her pocket.

"Next month? Why?" The man asked. He knew it'll be lonesome for the children to see their piano teacher for a whole month and well, Theodore will get sad too. The woman is very kind to him and his whole family. "You seem busy these days. Lately, you've been traveling from London to Paris or from Paris to Berlin! You've been tiring yourself while visiting these capitals." He commented and frowned at her but he's just terribly concerned for the woman. He has no idea where the woman lives even or if she has relatives alive with her. The woman never opened the topic anyway.

She smiled. "Well," She started and looked down, breathed quietly and then looked at the man. "There are serious matters back in London that I have to deal with. Please, make the children understand, monsieur. It will be the only thing I will ask of you." She requested and the man nodded immediately. "And if I ever do not come back by next month," Her smile widened. "I do hope that we will meet someday, monsieur Theodore." She said, thanked him and the maid and finally departed.

Theodore watched her leave until she managed to reach the mansion's gates. When she got out, and turned around to close the gates, she looked at the doorway she was just from, and saw it close. She then looked up at the window on the second floor, lit dim orange. It was the children's rooms. When she finally succeeded on closing the gates, she breathed, turned around and walked away.

She walked and walked around Paris. No, not yet leave to London, it won't take so much of her time, anyway. She doesn't know how long it took her already, but she realized that the night is awfully quiet already. She looked at the grand clock in the middle of the plaza and saw that it's already eleven-thirty in the evening. Thirty more minutes before the next day. There are no more people around, except for a few drunkards lying on the ground and police patrolling. The shops are closed now too. She realized that she should leave now.

"But, Raine, the train station is closed now." She heard from upward. It was a man's voice and she immediately looked on the source of it. There was a silhouette of a man on the top of an apartment in front of her and she was about to call him when suddenly one window in the apartment lit up and someone exclaimed in horror. She frowned and then looked back to the man on the rooftop. "Are you going to fly or something?" The man jumped down, even if it is absolutely dangerous but he landed with his feet anyway, and there seems to be no sign of pain in him. He has a messy brown-blond hair and his eyes are emerald green in color, just like Theodore, and he wears a formal suit, black framed spectacles and he's carrying this lawn mower with him with a _death scythe _engraved on it (Lorraine thought it was its brand name). "Recorded a woman's. Seems like she's heartbroken and well, hung herself."

_Poor soul. _Lorraine thought as she looked back to the window. A few neighbors woke up from the scream and she heard a few sobs and weeps. She looked back to the man and smiled. "It has been a while, Ronald." She greeted, and the man introduced as Ronald winked at her. "Are you going to come with me back to London?"

* * *

_**A/N: **__Sorry for Ronald's sudden appearance haha but he'll have a big role later too. Anyway, about Theodore and his children Anne and Vincent, yeah, they'll be explained later so please stick with me! __


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